West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-01-07
TAx-FED EDITORS.

I tAtAACAo VIZ NV ~ lt~NN 49,
to waste time by exposing every
silly falsehood published by the
hirelings of the Ring. We trust
there is intelligence enough in West
Virginia to distinguish between q
! gentleman whose social surround
ings preclude misstatement and
those helpless ours whose poverty
compels them to perform dirty work
and who, having neither reputation
to protect, nor good name TO defend,
feel no blush Of shame when con-
Z victed of conduct that should forever
exclude them from the slightest re-
cognition among respectable men.
But it is a question worth thought
. full consideration, whether Demo
Gratis shall support by their patron
age those newspapers which seem to
be published only for the purpose Of
deceiying their readers. This ques
ton is the more important when the
paper is controlled by men who draw
salaries from the L. S. Treasury.
The situation demands attention,
when the people are taxed to pay
salary to an officer of the Govern
ment who, instead of attending to
his official duties, edits Il newspaper
and spends his time inventing false
hoods which can have no purpose
except to prevent an intelligent
popular judgment.
1t is apparent 20 the most casual
observer that number of so called
Democratic papers in this State
have been induced to publish every
conceivable falsehood which they
imagine is calculated to weaken the
influence of the undisputed facts
published in these columns.
1t is of course disagreeable to
gentleman to be barked at 10y every
cur who considers it privilege to
wear the collar Of the master who
feeds him. Fortunately the affairs
Of this world are so ordered that to
be barked at by ours is evidence
that the gentleman is above suspic-
ion, and that the hungry pack are
bounded on by the man who feeds
them. 1t viii be indeed an evil day
when intelligent aud upright citi.
zens refrain from politics because
afraid to encounter the utilization
of venal press 1t will he an evil
day when intelligent Democrats con-
sent to patronize a paper which has
neither sense of honor nor pride of
character. The public cannot fail
observe the present effort to cry
down those gentlemen whose con-
cern for this State induces them to
publicly oppose Mr. Camden's re-
election. 1t must be evident to every
thoughtful man that this country
cannot prosper if Federal office is
farmed out to those whose only ere
Dental is the fact that''they lie with
out blushing and stand exposure
without consciousness OF disgrace.
While we cannot spare the
space to expose the numberless
falsehoods being published respect
ing the DEMOCRAT and respecting
Mr.. Mason, yet it will serve to make
manifest the prostitution of a part
of the press if We expose the most
recent of the many lies published by
the papers which champion Mr..
Camden.
The Grafton SeRtiRel,while edited
by Mr.. Holt, opposed the reelection
O. Senator Camden. The paper was
in debt; the debt was pressed and
few months ago it changed hands.
We are informe by gentleman in
Grafton, who is in a position to
know the fact, that this paper is now
owned in part by Internal Revenue
Collector McGraw and that.it is ed
tied by his Deputy-Collector o. S.
Mckinney Elsewhere is printed its
editorial for December 31st. 1t is
impossible to suggest a severer com
ment on the methods used to procure
Mr.. Camden's reelection than to ask
that this editorial, written by Nc.
Graw's deputy, be read in the light
of the following facts which are
given to the DEMOCRAT by Mr.. Ma
son, and he is responsible for their
accuracy:
"About 1850 the Virginia Legis-
lature appointed Mr.. Jas. T. Soutter
the financial agent Of that State. He
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